Identity Confidence Framework

Abstract

An Identity Confidence Framework is a method for determining the confidence that each of various identity elements pertain to the same person.

1 . A method of storing identity elements suspected of belonging to a subject in a structured data model. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the structured data model is a graph. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , where the graph is an undirected graph. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , where a single node (subject-node) is assigned to each subject. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , where other nodes (element-nodes) are assigned to identity elements and are assigned a weight corresponding to confidence in the element's authenticity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , where each edge (binding-edge) between an element-node and a subject-node is assigned a weight corresponding to confidence that the element pertains to the given subject. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , where each edge (link-edge) between an element-node and another element-node is assigned a weight corresponding to confidence that the two elements pertain to the same subject. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , where an overall confidence is computed for each identity-element, based on other edge and node weightings in the graph. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , where the graph is a directed graph. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , where a single node (subject-node) is assigned to the subject. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , where other nodes (element-node) are assigned to identity elements. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , where each edge (binding-edge) between an element-node and a subject-node is assigned a weight corresponding to confidence that the element pertains to the given subject. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , where each edge (link-edge) between an element-node and another element-node is assigned a weight corresponding to confidence that the two elements pertain to the same subject and that the destination element is authentic. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , where each for each link-edge (x,y) between element-node x and element-node y there is a corresponding edge (y,x). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , where an overall confidence is computed for each identity-element, based on edge weightings in the graph. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , where the structured data model is selected from the set of matrix, list, database, database table, or file system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , where the structured data model is a non-graph object model.